Method for heating blank for rolling production

ABSTRACT

A method for heating a blank in a first heating furnace and a second heating furnace. The first heating furnace includes a first chamber and a second chamber communicating with the first chamber. The method includes: 1) heating the blank in the first chamber to the temperature of less than 300° C.; 2) transferring the blank heated in the first chamber to the second heating furnace, and heating the blank to the temperature of between 350° C. and 850° C., where the temperature of the second heating furnace is detected using a thermocouple, and the temperature of the blank is detected by an optical thermometer; 3) transferring the blank heated in the second heating furnace to the second chamber, and measuring the temperature of the blank using a contact thermometer; and 4) transferring the blank from 3) to a rolling mill.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Pursuant to 35 U.S.C.§ 119 and the Paris Convention Treaty, thisapplication claims foreign priority to Chinese Patent Application No.201910478340.8 filed Jun. 3, 2019, the contents of which, including anyintervening amendments thereto, are incorporated herein by reference.Inquiries from the public to applicants or assignees concerning thisdocument or the related applications should be directed to: MatthiasScholl P.C., Attn.: Dr. Matthias Scholl Esq., 245 First Street, 18thFloor, Cambridge, Mass. 02142.

BACKGROUND

The disclosure relates to a method for heating a blank for rollingproduction.

In the related art, the methods for heating a blank for rollingproduction include continuous furnace heating, box-type resistancefurnace heating, and induction heating. The abovementioned heating,including preheating and soaking, is implemented in one furnace.

SUMMARY

The disclosure provides a method for heating a blank in a first heatingfurnace and a second heating furnace, the first heating furnacecomprising a first chamber and a second chamber communicating with thefirst chamber, and the method comprising:

-   -   1) heating the blank in the first chamber to a temperature of        less than 300° C.;    -   2) transferring the blank heated in the first chamber to the        second heating furnace, and heating the blank to a temperature        of between 350° C. and 850° C., where a temperature of the        second heating furnace is detected using a thermocouple, and the        temperature of the blank is detected by an optical thermometer;    -   3) transferring the blank heated in the second heating furnace        to the second chamber, continuously heating the blank in the        second chamber to increase the temperature of the blank in a        range of 0-200° C., and measuring the temperature of the blank        using a contact thermometer, where an accuracy of temperature        adjustment of the blank in second chamber of the first heating        furnace is ±10° C.; and    -   4) transferring the blank from 3) to a rolling mill.

The first chamber and the second chamber are disposed side by side, andthe first chamber communicates with the second chamber via a heat pipeso that waste heat in the second chamber can be transported to the firstchamber.

The blank is introduced in and out of the second chamber of the firstheating furnace along the axial direction of the first heating furnace.

A plurality of blanks is consecutively heated in the first heatingfurnace and the second heating furnace; the plurality of blanks in thefirst heating furnace is continuously disposed end to end; and theplurality of blanks in the second heating furnace is spaced and parallelto each other.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a method for heating a blank inaccordance with one embodiment of the disclosure;

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a first heating furnace in accordancewith one embodiment of the disclosure; and

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a second heating furnace in accordancewith one embodiment of the disclosure.

In the drawings, the following reference numbers are used: 1. Firstheating furnace; 2. Second heating furnace; 11. First chamber; 12.Second chamber; 3. Rolling mill; 5.1. First pusher; 5.2. Second pusher;5.3. Third pusher; 5.4. Fourth pusher; 6. Blank; 7. Heat pipe.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

To further illustrate the disclosure, embodiments detailing a method forheating a blank are described below. It should be noted that thefollowing embodiments are intended to describe and not to limit thedisclosure.

As shown in FIGS. 1-3, a method for heating a blank for rollingproduction is implemented in a first heating furnace 1 and a secondheating furnace 2, the first heating furnace 1 comprising a firstchamber 11 and a second chamber 12 communicating with the first chamber11, and the method comprising:

1) heating the blank 6 in the first chamber 11 to a temperature of lessthan 300° C.; where temperature of the blank is determined according tothe retention time of the blank 6 in the first chamber 11; the firstchamber 11 and the second chamber 12 are disposed side by side, and thefirst chamber communicates with the second chamber via a heat pipe 7 sothat waste heat in the second chamber can be transported to the firstchamber;

2) transferring the blank heated in the first chamber to the secondheating furnace, and heating the blank to a temperature of between 350°C. and 850° C., where a temperature of the second heating furnace isdetected using a thermocouple, and the temperature of the blank isdetected by an optical thermometer; the temperature of the secondheating furnace, the heating time and the retention time of the blank ata certain temperature are determined according to the production processrequirements of the blank;

3) transferring the blank heated in the second heating furnace to thesecond chamber, continuously heating the blank in the second chamber toincrease the temperature of the blank in a range of 0-200° C., andmeasuring the temperature of the blank using a contact thermometer,where an accuracy of temperature adjustment of the blank in secondchamber of the first heating furnace is ±10° C.; and

4) transferring the blank from 3) to a rolling mill.

The first heating furnace and the second heating furnace are acontinuous heating furnace. The first heating furnace comprises twochambers and the blank can move in the first heating furnacebidirectionally.

The first chamber communicates with the second chamber. The temperatureof the second chamber is higher than that of the first temperature, sothat the second chamber can supply heat for the first chamber.

The first heating furnace is disposed on the rolling production line, sothat the blank can directly enter the rolling production line afterbeing preprocessed in the first heating furnace.

The first heating furnace, the second heating furnace and the rollingmill are consecutively connected through conveyors and each is equippedwith a pusher 5, so that the blank can be transferred between the firstheating furnace, the second heating furnace and the rolling mill 3. Thespecific position of the two chambers can be adjusted according to theactual situation. As shown in FIG. 1, the two chambers are disposed inone plane. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the two chambers are disposed intwo parallel planes, respectively, and the first chamber is disposedbelow the second chamber. In such a situation, a hoister is employed tolift the heated blank in the first chamber 11 to the second heatingfurnace 2.

The moving speed of the blank in the first chamber and the secondchamber can be adjusted as needed; the heating temperature and therolling temperature can be adjusted according to the specific productionprocess.

EXAMPLE 1

Light alloy tube rolling production, blank material: light alloy 6063,blank size: Φ180×800 mm; final product: light alloy seamless pipe:Φ180×10 mm; rolling mill: three-roll cone piercer.

The blank is introduced to and out of the first/second chamber along theaxial direction of the first/second chamber, and introduced to and outof the second heating chamber from one side of the second heatingchamber. The second chamber is disposed on the side of the rolling line,and the blank is pushed into the rolling line via the pusher 5.

The set temperature of the second chamber of the first heating furnacewas 650° C. The set temperature of the second heating furnace was 550°C. The blank was introduced to the first chamber and heated therein for15 min from normal temperature to 200° C. The blank was then transferredto the second heating furnace, heated to 550° C. and maintained for 30min. Thereafter, the blank was transferred to the second chamber andheated to 650° C., and then was rolled by a rolling mill to yield lightalloy seamless pipes of Φ180×10 mm.

EXAMPLE 2

Titanium alloy bar rolling production, blank material: TC4 titaniumalloy, blank size: Φ80×1500 mm; final product: titanium bars having adiameter of 20 mm; rolling mill: three-roll bar continuous rolling mill.

The blank is introduced to the first chamber from one side of the firstchamber, and leaves the first chamber along the axial direction of thefirst chamber. The blank is introduced to and out of the second heatingchamber from one side of the second heating chamber. The blank isintroduced to and out of the second chamber along the axial direction ofthe second chamber.

The second chamber of the first heating furnace is disposed on therolling line, and after leaving the first heating furnace, the blanktravels a short distance, and enters the rolling mill.

The set temperature of the second chamber of the first heating furnacewas 900° C. The set temperature of the second heating furnace was 750°C. The blank was introduced to the first chamber and heated therein for8 min from normal temperature to 200° C. The blank was then transferredto the second heating furnace, heated to 750° C. and maintained for 45min. Thereafter, the blank was transferred to the second chamber andheated to 900° C., and then was rolled by a rolling mill to yieldtitanium bars having a diameter of 20 mm.

Compared with the related art, the first heating furnace comprises thefirst chamber and the second chamber communicating with the firstchamber, so that the heated blank radiates heat in the second chamberand the heat is transferred to the first chamber, and thus the wasteheat is utilized, reducing the energy consumption in the process ofblank heating.

The temperature in the first chamber and the second chamber and in thesecond heating furnace can be detected and adjusted at any time, so thatthe blank temperature can be controlled accurately, which can meet therequirements of different materials and different rolling processes forthe rolling temperature.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that changes andmodifications may be made, and therefore, the aim in the appended claimsis to cover all such changes and modifications.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for heating a blank in a first heatingfurnace and a second heating furnace, the first heating furnacecomprising a first chamber and a second chamber communicating with thefirst chamber, and the method comprising: 1) heating the blank in thefirst chamber to a temperature of less than 300° C.; 2) transferring theblank heated in the first chamber to the second heating furnace, andheating the blank to a temperature of between 350° C. and 850° C., wherea temperature of the second heating furnace is detected using athermocouple, and the temperature of the blank is detected by an opticalthermometer; 3) transferring the blank heated in the second heatingfurnace to the second chamber, continuously heating the blank in thesecond chamber to increase the temperature of the blank in a range of0-200° C., and measuring the temperature of the blank using a contactthermometer, where an accuracy of temperature adjustment of the blank insecond chamber of the first heating furnace is ±10° C.; and 4)transferring the blank from 3) to a rolling mill.
 2. The method of claim1, wherein the first chamber and the second chamber are disposed side byside, and the first chamber communicates with the second chamber via aheat pipe so that waste heat in the second chamber is transported to thefirst chamber.
 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the blank is introducedin and out of the second chamber of the first heating furnace along anaxial direction of the first heating furnace.
 4. The method of claim 1,wherein a plurality of blanks is consecutively heated in the firstheating furnace and the second heating furnace; the plurality of blanksin the first heating furnace is disposed end to end; and the pluralityof blanks in the second heating furnace is spaced and parallel to eachother.